Wichita eagle., 1887-04-06
PARLOR FUNNY MEN.
POPULAR HUMoRisTs WHO MAKE
PEOPLE LAUGH AND cay.
Marshall r. Wilder, the Wonderful Paoa-
Maker, Courted and Feted by the Eng
ush Nobiiify-Frank Ineoin's Vocal
Powers-Anatears' Trials.

Maker. Courted and Feted by the Eng
| ush Nobiiify-Frank Lineoin's Vocal
Powers-Amatears' TFials.
Don't think I am funny from choice.
had TO be either funny or pathetic, and 30
chose to be funny said Marshall p Wilder
not long ago, making one Of his terrible
grimaces that Transformed his smiling face
| II the most frightful manner and made every
one present start up in alarm. ''Oh, can
be dreadfully funny when want to- be
said, smiling in the most seraptic manner
until he looked Ike one Of Raphael cherubs.
Mr.. Wilder is said to be the funniest man in
America, and he has become Is familiar 70
most New Workers es the city hall building.
He goes everywhere. He is seen ST the
opera, st the theatres on the opening nights.
az concerts and lectures, at amateur theat-
ricals. afternoon teas in Wall street, in the
cotton and produce exchanges on the
Broadway cars. viewing the hippopotamus
at the park, at the racsS-indeed he seems
like some spite that can be everywhere a;
the same time. His funny genius IS best seen
IL the parlor and as an after dinner enter
tainer be has no equal
STANDING on THE PIANO.
''Get up on the piano, Wilder, and give
Us some fun, IS the usual way of asking the
popular hUmorist TO display his talents
Mr.. Wilder has to be perched on a table or
piano TO be seen by most people, for he is
not giant in stature. So he mounts the
piano, and generally greets his audience with
sarodni, grin that would frighten giant.
Having suhdued them, he begins TO b.
funny he can twist his mobile features
into any shape. One minute be will person
ate some beauty His great brown EYES
become soft and bright, his mouth looks
ike a rosebud, and the color comes and goes
in his cheeks Then in second be viii hook
Ike villain OF the very deepest dive. His
forte is in making faces
This talented huinoriSt Is a professional
He is funny very often for nothing, especial
ly in the cause Of charity, or when among
his friends, but he is generally funny for
money
Last spring and summer Mr.. Wilder spent
In England, and his hunor so charmed the
English that he was courted and feeed by
nobility and all It's attendant coterie He
made the Prince OF Wales laugh until he
cried, and was dined and invited everywhere.
Lady Wilde. the mother of the asthstic
Oscar, took a great fancy to the unique
humorist, and always called him "a COM
plete poem of humor" he describes her
dinner parties very entertaining. be
says she always wore a brooch containing a
miniature Of her late husband on the corsage
Of her gown. and that the brooch was con
tinually falling into the soup, but that other
wise she was charming old Lady.
ANOTHER FUNNY MAN.
Another funny man who is seen every
winter is Frank Lincoln. At least that Is
bis professional name, but his real name is
F ". HOpkinson Smith. Last summer he
became happy Benedict by marrying q
very beautiful Virginia girl He is the re
verse Of Mr.. Wilder in appearance He Is
tall, we'll formed, and has an open, fair face
lit BY blue eyes and framed in blond hair.
His face is clean shaven and he has a re-
markedly fine set Of teeth as white as snow
Mr.. Lincoln came to New York few years
ago and at once became favorite.
He has wonderful powers of imitation and
can pop bottle II champagne, send up a
SKY rocket FIRE of cannon or get OF any
other pyrotechnic with his voice. In the
animal kingdom he is perfectly ar home and
ne has MANY little sketches Of his own which
he delights TO give. One OF the best OF these
Is THE Funeral OF q Fashionable Lady's
Pug Dog" 1t is all done in dumb show
Mr.. Lincoln comes IN, his face expressing
deep sorrow. bows nournfully 10 one or two
friends near the door, tiptoes across the room
to where the chief mourner Is weeping, takes
her hand tenderly, and wipes one or two
tears from his eyes. Then be tiptoes up To
where the imaginary remains Of poor PIGGY
are lying in state, bends over 70 look closcly
at them, applies his handkerchief again 10
his eyes and passes out OF the room. There
is nothing on the stage but the actor. yet the
whole picture is brought wildly before the
imagination.
The other parlor funny men Of View York
are MOI at all prominent, and most Of them
ara only amateurs and initators Of the two
mentioned. Mr. Edward Fales Coward. the
amateur actor, can recIte many humorous
pieces and is excellent al griruacinS and one
Of the Warren boys Is also clever IN the same
way. \ number Of young men have en-
deayored 70 learn how TO tell Joke and il
lustrate II By grimacs, but most Of them
have been called failures
1T IS one Of the hardest things II. lbs
world 10 be funny, don't yoa know. one
OF them SAYS. 'becau- while what you are
sayins may be awfully cofHical, 81 tho faet
that lot Of critical girls and fellows are
looking II you makes you fed aBd look |
frightened I'd rafher play sal wv |
York Journal